ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is the 13-digit number printed above the barcode on the back of a book. Bookshops, libraries and online stores use it to identify one specific edition of one specific book.
Who issues ISBNs in India?
In India, ISBNs come from the Raja Rammohun Roy National Agency for ISBN, which works under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. It is the only authorised agency for publishers and authors based in India, and it works through one official portal: isbn.gov.in.
How much does it cost?
Nothing. The government agency issues ISBNs free of charge. Private services may charge a fee to fill the forms for you, but the number itself is free. Be careful of anyone who says you must "buy" an Indian ISBN.
One book, more than one ISBN
Each format of a book needs its own ISBN. Your paperback, your eBook and your audiobook are three different products, so they get three different numbers. A new edition with real changes also gets a new number; a simple reprint does not.
The steps, in short
- Register on isbn.gov.in as an author or a publisher.
- Complete your profile and upload the documents the portal asks for (for an individual author this includes identity proof).
- Wait for approval. The agency checks your profile. This can take a few weeks, so start early.
- Apply for a title. Enter the book's title, language, format and subject.
- Download the allotment once your ISBN is issued.
After you get the number
- Print the ISBN on the copyright page and on the back cover, above the barcode.
- The barcode itself is made from the ISBN (it is an EAN-13 code that begins with 978 or 979). In the Book Virasat app, the barcode is generated automatically once the ISBN is added.
- Use the right ISBN for the right format everywhere you list the book.
Do I need an ISBN for a Kindle eBook?
Not on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing: Amazon gives each Kindle eBook its own number, called an ASIN. You still need an ISBN for a printed book that will be sold through bookshops, distributors and libraries.
At Book Virasat, the team helps every author through these steps as part of publishing.